As 1000 Nights Pass
by Awkward Turtleduck
Summary: 'As 1000 nights pass, I long to tell you / I have to let you know / "I want you to love me, but I don't think you will." / I wander around as I repeat this to myself / It's the only answer I have, even if I'm scared of getting hurt.' Mitsu. Canonverse.
1. Prologue

"Sometimes two people will regard each other over a gulf too wide to ever be bridged, and know immediately what could have happened, and that it never will." -Roger Ebert

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**As 1000 Nights Pass**

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_Disclaimer:_ "K-ON!" the manga and anime and the song "As 1000 Nights Pass" belong to Kakifly, Kyoto Animation and Aqua Timez respectively.

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_Prologue_

Tainaka Ritsu fiddled the drumstick absentmindedly with her right hand while her chin was resting on her left. She was all alone in their garage where her drum set was stored after she and her three friends graduated from Sakuragaoka High School. It was already evening and she couldn't play her drums anymore since she would disturb the neighbours. It was not like she was in the mood anyway.

Ritsu couldn't believe that so much time had passed already. One moment she was hunting for members for the Light Music Club and the next she, Akiyama Mio, Kotubuki Tsumugi and Hiyazawa Yui have graduated high school, leaving behind their adorable underclassman, Nakano Azusa. So much time had passed in such a short while.

"So much time indeed," Ritsu muttered as she twirled the drumstick. This realization didn't sit too well with her. Time flew by so fast and many things happened. But there were still a lot of things that needed to be done.

Ritsu breathed out a sigh as the familiar wave of emotions washed over her.

She had hoped that time would fly past and with it her volatile emotions. Despite being an 'idiot' as her best friend often called her, she was sensible enough when it comes to important things. Things that involve love and friendship. Once she slipped when she let her jealousy take over when she saw her best friend and Yui's friend getting along well. It almost caused a rift in their relationship, saved by Ritsu's fever. Things were back to normal again after that but Ritsu knew very well how close they were to fighting.

_Well, friends do fight. And they say that fighting often deepens the relationship. If it doesn't go out of hand, that is. It's a risk after all._

_Just like love._

Ritsu chuckled. Then she froze. It really wasn't a laughing matter. It's something that had become serious over time. At first, Ritsu revelled in the feeling. Of course after the initial shock and embarrassment. Then Ritsu reasoned to herself that it was probably just a silly infatuation that was bound to end after three months. Perhaps brought about by the fact that she was going to an all-girls school. Add to that the fact that her best friend was really pretty and that they had been through many things together.

Ritsu knew when it all started—it was back when she found out that the 'love letter' that she found in their mailbox was from Mio.

It made her want to choke her best friend to death out of the embarrassment it caused. But because of that, she also became aware of the possibility of something else between them.

And three months passed, the feelings remained. Ritsu managed to keep them at bay because what they had at the moment was enough for her. They went to school and go home together. They have sleepovers at each one's places. They go to places and eat out together. It's almost as good as going out as a couple. Except for the physical intimacy. But that can wait.

And yet, it felt like everything was at a standstill. Out of the three choices that she could have made—to try, to give up or to do nothing—she chose the last. She bided her time because she hoped her feelings would fade away. She didn't want to risk their friendship.

She just couldn't.

But now, she wasn't willing to let it go on like this. She really wanted to know the answer.

_(to be continued)_

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_Author's Note:_ This fic is based on the Aqua Timez song because I'm cheesy like that. This is a work in-progress and will probably be updated faster if I get much support. So keep those reviews coming. :)

The prologue is pretty short and very introspective. Will try to cut on that on the following chapters.

Oh and the song is from the ending theme of the first "Bleach" movie. :)


	2. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer:_ "K-ON!" the manga and anime and the song "As 1000 Nights Pass" belong to Kakifly, Kyoto Animation and Aqua Timez respectively.

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Chapter 1_

Upon entering Akiyama Mio's room, two things would strike a person. First, that the room was very neat and orderly. Her books were arranged on the bookshelf by size. Her CDs were all in the CD rack. Her table was free from clutter, the sheets of paper arranged in a file case and the writing materials together in a pen holder. Her bed was also free from creases, with the pillows properly fluffed.

Second, it was unbelievably girly. It wasn't like her room was in the hues of pink. The walls were white but the curtains had a red-and-orange floral print. Framed pictures of hearts and flowers hung on the walls. And stuffed toys sat at the head of the bed.

Ritsu was lying on the bed, listening to some music in Mio's music player. Her friend, on the other hand, was busy studying her notes for the next day. Ritsu had wheedled and pleaded to stay at Mio's place for the night even though they had classes the next day. Mio would have normally refused but the drummer was pretty persistent and claimed that she was suffering from 'separation anxiety.' Mio finally relented on the condition that her friend would not bother her while she was studying.

"Hey, Mio."

"Hm?"

"Why didn't you choose to go to a co-ed university?"

Mio looked up from her notebook and looked at her friend quizzically. "What do you mean?"

Ritsu rolled on the bed and fixed her gaze at the ceiling, avoiding eye contact. "Why did you choose to go to an all-girls university? Don't you want to meet guys?"

"I guess I'm just comfortable with the way things are. I mean, we've been from an all-girls high school and it wasn't so bad."

"Is that so?"

"Why the sudden question?"

"Nothing. Just curious."

"Well, how about you?"

"Hmmm..." Ritsu rolled on the bed again until she was lying stomach down. This time, she fixed her gaze at Mio's grayish-blue eyes. Before she could let fear take over her, she blurted out, "Because I want to be where you are."

Mio raised her eyebrows in surprise. As the seconds ticked, her face took a pinkish hue. After a while, she let out a small laugh and turned back towards her notebook.

"What's so funny?" Ritsu asked, frowning. Her heart had been hammering like crazy the moment she had blurted out those words and all she got was a laugh? Mio can be so rude and insensitive!

"N-Nothing," Mio said in between laughs. "It's just that you looked so serious." She turned back to her friend with an amused smile. "You sure are pretty clingy."

Ritsu couldn't help but feel disappointed. She let her heartbeat slow down before renewing her attempts. She stared at Mio as she continued answering the problem sets. She was reminded once again how pretty her friend was, a classic Japanese beauty with her long night-black hair, soft profile, lucent obsidian eyes, pink lips that Ritsu was so sure was sweet—

Wait.

Ritsu could feel her face heating up and her heart racing like there was no tomorrow. _Not good! Not good! Not good!_ She rolled on the bed again and buried her face on the pillow. An annoyed scream escaped her lips which, although muffled by the pillow, was still heard by Mio. The bassist looked up and found her friend lying face down on her bed, not moving.

"O-Oy Ritsu!" Mio stood up and hesitated whether or not to approach her friend. She was worried but at the same time apprehensive that her friend might just be pulling another prank at her expense.

Half a minute passed and Ritsu was still not moving. By now, worry overrode fear and Mio rushed to her friend's side. She shook Ritsu's shoulder. "H-Hey Ritsu! Get up or you'll suffocate!"

Still no response. Mio grabbed her friend's shoulder to turn her around. Ritsu was unconscious.

Panic was now taking over Mio's senses. _What to do? What to do? _Although she was tempted to assume a fetal position and pretend nothing happened, she knew very well this was no time for that. She took deep breaths as she tried to recall anything related to first-aid. But none of what she remembered had anything to do with suffocation by pillow! _Aw crap, what's the closest thing to this situation? _Mio closed her eyes tightly. The closest thing she could think of was drowning.

_Okay, I should check her breathing._

Mio leaned over Ritsu's face to check if she was still breathing. She could hear nothing, feel nothing. She then checked her pulse in her friend's neck: thankfully it was still strong. _Okay, no breathing but has pulse. So it's not CPR. I should give her..._

_...a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation?_

Without a moment's hesitation, Mio leaned over, pinching the drummer's nose and tilting her mouth open. She then took a huge gasp of air before pressing her lips against her friend's and blowing the air through her lungs. As she was going to take another gasp for air, she noticed that the other girl was smiling. No, giggling in fact.

As the realization that she was tricked dawned on her, Mio's face turned beet red and she hit her friend's head with all the strength she could muster.

"Ritsu you idiot!"

"Hey Mio."

No response.

"Are you still mad?"

The black-haired girl continued answering the problem sets. Ritsu could still feel the pain throbbing on the spot where her friend hit her. To date, that was the most painful yet. She thought she even heard her skull crack. But it was worth it. Mio's lips were really sweet. Ritsu couldn't help but smile at the memory.

"Hey, Mioooooo—"

"If you're only going to fool around, just go home already!" the bassist snapped, a vein throbbing in her forehead.

"But it's late."

"Whatever. Just go to bed already since you're not up to study." Mio turned back to her problem sets. Then she continued in a much lower tone, "Honestly, why can't you just grow up?"

The smile dropped from Ritsu's face. Mio was right. Just how long would Ritsu keep on pulling these pranks to get Mio's attention? It wasn't like she could do this forever. And she didn't want to do this forever. She had to try.

She had to.

"Mio, what do you think about us?"

The bassist, still irked, refused to look up. "We're friends with a twisted relationship where one just enjoys annoying the hell out of the other. Now just go to sleep."

Ritsu knew that it was useless to pursue the topic when Mio was in a foul mood.

"All right. Where's the futon?"

Mio looked up. "What do you mean? You're sleeping on the bed with me. Like always."

"You mean you're still willing to sleep beside me after that?" Ritsu asked slyly.

A blush crept up Mio's cheeks. "S-Shut up! It's not like it's the first time you've tricked me."

Ritsu stared at her for a moment and realized that although the 'kiss' earlier meant something to her, for Mio it was nothing but another prank. No trace of anything romantic about it that she should be troubled about. It was nothing special. Perhaps she would even forget it in the morning. Ritsu couldn't help but look a bit downcast. This didn't escape Mio.

"Ritsu, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. Look can I just sleep on the futon? I don't think the bed's big enough for the both of us."

"What do you mean? We've been sleeping together since forever. The bed's okay."

"Well, I... uh... I snore!"

Mio raised her eyebrows. "Really? But that has never bothered me before. So why should it now?"

Ritsu frowned in concentration. "I... drool?"

"Eww, Ritsu! Don't tell me you've been drooling all those times?"

Ritsu grinned. "You mean you never noticed?"

"All right I get your point! I'll get your futon."

_(to be continued)_

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Author's Note:_ So the first chapter is out. Pretty boring but we'll get to the exciting parts later. Need to build up after all. Keep the reviews coming! :)


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